


Various Stories Revolving Around a Certain Blue Chimera

by Swish42



Category: Slayers (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M, oneshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-26 14:36:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12060996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swish42/pseuds/Swish42
Summary: This is a collection of oneshots I’ve written over the years with Zelgadis as the primary focus. Rather than post the stories separately, as I did on fanficNet, I decided it would be more efficient to put them all in one place. Not all of the stories in here will be old and the first one just so happens to be new.Also I think it’s only fair to tell those who don’t know me that I sometimes pair Zelgadis with Amelia and other times I pair him with Lina.





	1. Someone Else’s Problem

The subtle whisper of a page being turned and the steady click of a ticking clock are the only sounds disturbing the dust ridden library. Zelgadis is the lone occupant of the magical and arcane arts section in the Elman library and he wants it to stay that way. He is surrounded by piles of books hidden in the corner of the aged building.

At one time the library was a treasure to the guild, but now it is a reminder of mistakes and ill begotten dreams. Zelgadis is simply glad they didn’t destroy the library despite its supposed dislike and uselessness. He hasn’t found much for his cure, but he is more than willing to soak his mind with the ancient spells and riddled history. As he reads, the young man is unaware of the passing hours and the lone librarian upstairs forgets that he has a strange guest in his care.

When Zelgadis decides to move his stiff joints alert him of the late hour. His back and shoulders crack in several places and he thinks better of trying to stand. This is what he gets for sitting on the floor all day forgetting everything else but his reading material. Well, it is a nice escape at least.

Wondering at the hour, Zelgadis glances at the books walling him in and smiles at the sight. He’s made quite the little sanctuary for himself. From beyond his moldy book fortress and the shelves of musky literature, his ear catches a soft hum of voices and muffled footsteps from several rows away.

“Is there anyone here?” a young voice asks in a slightly warbled tone. The young man attempts to hide it by clearing his throat, but it only lets on how young he really is.

“The librarian says the place should be empty,” another man replies. His voice is slightly worn, a gravely tone like two smooth stones rubbing against each other, but still a youthful tenor. “Not very many students or sorcerers come here anymore. Not with the new library closer to the campus readily available. The works here are terribly outdated.”

Spoken like a true arrogant student, Zelgadis rolls his eyes. Apparently this man hasn’t bothered reading anything here. Otherwise he’d know the wealth of knowledge to be found in these ‘outdated’ texts. Magic in its most basic form hasn’t changed much since the beginning of the world and unless you know the origins of an incantation it can lose its power. A well learned sorcerer, like Lina, would never undermine such text and refer to them as outdated.

Releasing an inaudible sigh, Zelgadis rocks his neck from side to side with plans to slip out unnoticed. Obviously these sorcerers are from the guild and up to nothing good. He has no desire to be caught up in sorcerer affairs or noticed by their type. 

“Don’t undermined these books, they have a wealth of knowledge,” a woman pipes up. Her voice is low and squeaks every so often with her breath, suggesting she’s older than the other two.

“Whatever you say professor,” says the stone voiced male. “Either way it’s not as if anyone would come here unless they were as well versed as you.”

“Don’t bother flattering me, words can only get you so far, what I want now is action,” the professor replies harshly. “Did you get what I asked for?”

“It’s right here,” the hesitant student says. A light clunk hits a table as he presents the object to his elder. No doubt it’s magical in purpose, what sorcerer isn’t willing to break a few ethical laws to get their hands on a shady magical artifact of some kind.

Doesn’t matter, chances are it won’t get him what he wants.

At this time Zelgadis slips down the aisle towards the outer wall. It is best to avoid the center aisle just in case the little conspirators have friends coming.

“Excellent,” the professor says. “With this we can reconstruct the philosopher’s stone!”

“Shhhh,” both students reprimand their professor and Zelgadis stops where he stands.

So, she’s trying to construct a philosopher’s stone? The stone of sages. If such a thing were possible Rezo would have made one himself, but it is believed that a philosopher’s stone comes from the rod of chaos or a piece of Ceifeed. It would be impossible to recreate something that powerful. 

Zelgadis can barely hold back a snuff of a laugh escaping his sardonic half grin. Really, the ignorance of these people is astounding, but it would be interesting to get a hold of the supposed recipe for a philosopher’s stone this professor has concocted.

No, No. He isn’t a treasure hunter like Lina. If it held the possibility of curing him then maybe it would be worth investigating, but the stone merely amplifies magic in its purest form. It doesn’t perform miracles. And all of this is assuming that the philosopher’s stone can be artificially recreated. This professor will only succeed in destroying the guild if she goes through with this fantasy.

“Finally,” he hears the professor’s voice steadily lose form as it is muffled by the endless volumes of books and heavy walls. As he locates a side staircase, he tests his foot on the first step to be sure the wood won’t creak. “During the next new moon I will be able to create a miracle, I will finally be acknowledged for my genius,” she says.

Zelgadis pulls up his hood and mask and walks up the steps soundlessly. When the wood threatens to crack Zelgadis simply lightens his weight by using a levitation spell and leaves the room. When he walks across the old tiled foyer, the librarian actually notices him and stands in shock. “Sir, I did not realize you were still here,” he fumbles.

“You keep an interesting library here, I would love to come back again sometime,” Zelgadis replies only slowing slightly to acknowledge the man.

“Oh, of course sir, traveling shamanists are always welcomed to the historic Elman Library,” the man stutters, glancing at the stair case Zelgadis just came from.

Such behavior strikes Zelgadis as odd. Apparently the librarian is in on the secret meeting taking place down stairs, either that or he was paid to keep look out. What a bother. Apparently he’ll need to cut his visit short and leave the guild immediately.

“Sir, before you leave,” the librarian scampers from behind his wooden wrap around desk, lifting the portion at the left and nearly slamming it down in his rush. Zelgadis is forced to stop not wishing to appear more suspicious then he already does. “Did you happen to see anyone while you were in the arcane arts section?”

“Three showed up and they asked me to leave, I didn’t want to cause any trouble so I did as they asked,” Zelgadis lies smoothly with a sigh suggesting that it really is a bother.

“I’m so sorry sir,” the librarian bows his head. “For your own safety it is best you leave though, sorcerers from the guild who come here are typically up to no good.”

“Must be hard keeping watch over sorcerer’s ambitious secrets rather than a wealth of knowledge,” Zelgadis grins unseen.

The libraries sighs, revealing just how old he really is as his breath shakes in his throat. “That is true,” he agrees. “Be well sir, may your travels yield a wealth of knowledge and many stories.”

“And may your library continue to stand and be in your cautious care when next I visit,” Zelgadis replies and parts with the man on a pleasant note. His lie will only buy him a little time. He will still have to leave, but perhaps he can return after the full moon. As Zelgadis takes the steps down to the cobbled street he spies what appears to be a small twinkling stone caught between two pieces of pavement.

Upon touching it Zelgadis knows immediately that it is Orihalcon. Picking it up, Zelgadis stashes it in his cloak and continues on his way. He won’t pass by something this valuable, even if it was no doubt dropped by that clumsy sorcerer.

By the time the night wind tugs at his hood, the guild’s impressive spires are mere toothpicks on the horizon. Zelgadis keeps off the main roads and in a few days time fogs the events of the library to join the many others like it. 

He is only forced to remember that day when an earthquake interrupts his light sleep in some forgotten forest a month later. Reflexively Zelgadis takes hold of his sword and waits for the tremor to pass. Glancing up, he notices the new moon overhead and remembers what happened in the Elman library. Quickly erecting a shield Zelgadis isn’t surprised when a wave of magical backlash hits it a second later.

Wincing at the effort, Zelgadis feels the magic saturate the area and push in around him. No doubt everything in the country is being affected by the professor’s foolish mistake. His shield cracks forcing him to condense the bubbles size to keep it stable. If he doesn’t wait for this to pass, there is little doubt in his mind that it will affect him one way or another. Probably won’t be able to use magic correctly for a week.

Losing his grip on the spell after fifteen minutes, Zelgadis searches his cloak for the Orihalcon. He can use its magical properties to add a boost to the spell, but really he wonders how much good it will do. Even though he’s hundreds of miles away from the epicenter the backlash is still present.

“Dam-it,” Zelgadis hisses as he pulls out the mysterious metal and tries to use it. In his hand the Orihalcon vibrates and hums with power. Before Zelgadis can speculate on what is happening, white light flashes from his hand and a magical burst knocks him out.

When Zelgadis wakes the shield is miraculously still erected, but has shrunk making him rather scrunched in the glowing orb. Grunting moodily, he moves enough to cause the bubble to shatter, depositing him on the ground a good two feet under him. Rather than speculate why he is so far off the ground, Zelgadis merely growls and moves onto his back.

The sun is high in the sky and Zelgadis can see the slight sparkle of magic drifting in the wind. As he watches it the learned man tries to wrap his mind around what has happened. As near he can figure, all the magic that was supposed to be contained in the philosopher’s stone ended up exploding over the entire country, perhaps even further.

“Idiots,” Zelgadis says to no one in particular. At least it doesn’t seem like the professor’s blunder has destroy anything, but glancing around it is apparent that the saturated magic is having some effect on the environment. The trees have grown taller and the ground is budding with beautiful flowers. 

All of this isn’t a bad thing necessarily but it feels strange since it’s supposed to be autumn.

Reaching his arms up Zelgadis stretches his cramped back and rolls his shoulder carefully. That’s when he spies a bumble bee zig-zag past him. Instead of being yellow and black in color, the ignorant insect is now a dashing hot pink and black. Zelgadis stares after it for a while before sighing. The effects are nothing like what happened when Rezo used the stone all those years ago, but then again Rezo was using a real philosopher’s stone and used it on himself.

The magic overload should be temporary and disappear when it is properly absorbed by the earth, but it will be a strange sight until then.

After stretching Zelgadis rises to his feet and realizes that he’s dropped the Orihalcon. Glancing around the immediate area, Zelgadis nearly curses at the lush grass and budding flowers. The overgrowth is making it difficult to find the valuable treasure.

When Zelgadis speculates that the Orihalcon might have shattered he happens to glance at his hand. Since his hand is mostly covered, the blue man nearly misses a glimpse of sparkling silver stone peeking at him on his uncovered blue wrist.

Sucking in air, Zelgadis’s gaze is riveted to his arm as he wretches back his sleeve, nearly tearing it off. Instead of the familiar stone extrusions baring their usual dark blue color, they glistened like glass and appear to be a grey silverish color. 

Just like the Orihalcon.

“Dam-it,” Zelgadis curses as a purple and pink bumble bee zips happily by. Maybe next time he won’t ignore a shady group of sorcerers and kill the idiots before their stupidity comes back to bite him. Not everyone who visits the library is going to come out smarter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First post here on Archive of Our Own. I haven't posted this chapter anywhere else before so it's new.


	2. Catching My Own

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is old with an Amelia and Zelgadis coupling although Amelia is only mentioned.

Catching My Own 

Zelgadis Greywords wanders into the open yard of Seyruun’s official orphanage. In typical Zelgadis fashion, the chimera is covered head to foot with his hood drawn far over his head with a mask wrapped closely around the bottom portion of his face. He is here for a special occasion and is slightly nervous as he sits down on one of the many benches in the open yard. 

The home for lost and abandoned children is a well maintained orphanage. Prince Phil prizes himself in the safety and well being of the future generation of his country, and this orphanage is proof of such care and devotion. The prince has a special fondness for children and he isn’t the only one. Zelgadis has always had a soft spot for kids as well, ever since he was a young teen fighting to ensure the local kids had food to eat and supplies to survive. It always hurts the most when he remembers their reaction to his monstrous form. The memory persists despite the years and is one of the reasons he has grown to hate his form so much.

As Zelgadis thinks about his past the caretaker and children of the orphanage come outside to play in the yard. Miss Jeahon is expecting Zelgadis so she isn’t surprised to see the hooded figure sitting in her yard. Zelgadis gives her a silent nod of recognition and she smiles back at him sweetly. At first the kids are a little uncomfortable with the hooded stranger in their play area, but after some encouragement from their gentle caretaker the kids waste no time in chasing each other around the yard and playing with different toys sporadically kept within the large fenced in area.

The older children ignore Zelgadis completely, but some of the younger ones stare blatantly at the mysterious swordsman. One of kids drools as he stares while a ball flies through the air and squarely hits him in the face. Zelgadis gives a silent laugh as he watches them, so full of energy and curiosity, it makes him feel lighter.

For the past two years Amelia and Zelgadis have been happily married. The Seyruun nobles looked harshly at their joining, but Prince Phil and Princess Amelia hear none of it. Zelgadis hates the politics’ involved and only speaks up for himself when absolutely necessary. He knows how the political games work but has no desire to play. 

The Seyruun dignitaries have kept quiet for a while, even during his wedding they held their tongues, but now harsh rumors are once again spreading from the noble’s mouths. The chimera’s inability to impregnate Amelia is bluntly obvious and they have been putting pressure on Zelgadis to do something about it or leave her for the betterment of the country. Zelgadis is well aware that Amelia is slightly distressed at being unable to have children, but she always denies it when he asks her about it directly.

Because Zelgadis deeply cares for Amelia, along with the country of Seyruun, and has a keen desire to push the hypocritical upper class aside, Zelgadis is here at the orphanage.

Eventually one of the balls the children are playing with hits Zelgadis and bounces to the ground in front of him. None of the children move to retrieve the ball; even those not playing with the ball cautiously watch the stranger and wonder how he will react. When none of the children dare come near him, Zelgadis sighs and reaches down for the ball, preparing to toss it back to the unmoving kids. Perhaps he will have more luck another day, after facing many failures in his life already from his cure search, Zelgadis is prepared to face the disappointment of his latest quest.

“Cool hands,” A young boy says. Looking a bit shocked, Zelgadis stares into the blue eyes of a freckled little boy. “You an old man? Old people are blue right?”

Zelgadis doesn’t know how to react. Part of him wants to laugh, the other portion wants to growl at the scrawny four year old. “Here’s your ball.” he says instead, handing the ball over.

The boy drops the ball, clearly distracted, and climbs onto the bench next to Zelgadis, standing so he is eye level with Zelgadis. “Woah, you face is like it too!” The boy says bluntly. “And eyes like mine.”

As the boy leans in for a closer look Zelgadis feebly attempts to lean away without falling off the bench. Coming here is looking grimmer and grimmer in the young chimera’s eyes. He isn’t expecting such attention like this. He is prepared for a scream of terror or a quiet smile, but not a flat out assault into his personal space. 

The other children are losing their timidity towards the stranger and come in for a closer look at the humorous event. Zelgadis glances nervously towards Miss Jeahon for some help, but his possible rescuer makes no move to assist him. She simply smiles at him in an attempt to encourage the chimera prince. Miss Jeahon is the only one aware of Zelgadis’s true identity; the kids and passer buyers have no clue that he is royalty.

As Zelgadis attempts to move away, the little boy is slightly offended and crosses his arms, trying to imitate a grown up. The boys dark blue wavy locks of hair waft freely in the cool afternoon breeze “That not nice,” he says.

“Did anyone tell you that it isn’t nice to stare,” Zelgadis says quietly with a grin tugging at the edges of his mouth.

“No,” the boy says with a smile.

“Yes we have,” a girl says nearby. She is a couple of years older than the boy standing next to Zelgadis, but has the same blue eyes and dark blue hair. Zelgadis figures that the two are possibly related.

“Play with us, play with us!” The boy says, shouting as he bounces up and down. “All other grownups play, you play too!”

The boy grabs Zelgadis’s cape and forces the chimera to follow after him past the other children. “We play tag and you it! RUN!”

The kids begin to squeal and run around the large yard away from Zelgadis, some of the more crafty ones playfully tug at his loose clothing, baiting him to try and catch them.

Zelgadis smiles and begins to chase after the little people, but he purposefully sets out after the boy first. The boy see’s Zelgadis’s intent and races to Miss Jeahon’s side grabbing her knee, “I’m Safe, I’m Safe.” He cries as Zelgadis reaches out for him.

“Who said there were any safe bases in this game,” Zelgadis says playfully.

“I did, I did, it a rule.” The boy laughs.

“You can’t stay there forever,” Zelgadis says and begins to chase after the others. He doesn’t use his demon speed, because he doesn’t want to scare them, but it proves very difficult. These kids are professional tag players. Weaving in and out between one another they evade the careful adult easily. They playfully tease the corner of his eye and distract him with flying balls to help their cornered friends. They are making it difficult for Zelgadis, but he doesn’t mind. Miss Jeahon is about to intervene when the balls go flying, but Zelgadis reassures her that it is all right.

In a flash Zelgadis gently pokes each and every one of them using his enhanced speed, the kids are shocked as they are easily tagged. After they recover from their surprise cries of “unfair, unfair” chase after him as they race to catch the strange man. In the end everyone is ‘it’ except Zelgadis. 

Like a pack of angry ducklings, the kids pursue Zelgadis, who is still using his speed to evade them. Eventually one of the kids gets smart and falls to ground beginning to cry.

“Wahhhhhh! It hurts, It hurts!” the dark blue haired girl cries, the same girl from earlier. In a flash Zelgadis is at the little girl’s side, with Miss Jeahon close behind. As soon as he is within jumping distance, the girl lunges at Zelgadis latching him around his hooded neck. “Ha! I got you, you are now it!” She says cheerfully.

“Aw I wanted to catch him,” the little boy says.

The girl sticks her tongue out at her little brother as Zelgadis gently shifts to remove her from his neck. As he lets her down though, she grabs at Zelgadis’s hood and mask causing both to fall away from his face. Her crafty plan is a success.

Zelgadis freezes as he waits for the inevitable.

One child screams followed by even more, as they run to hide behind Miss Jeahon. Rising to his feet, Zelgadis takes a hesitant step back as he reaches for his hood and mask.

“Don’t let them scare you sir,” the girl says next to him. “They’re scared of spiders too.”

“You are old,” the boy with blue hair says at his feet. The look on his face is one of disgust rather than fear and he scrunches his nose as if he smells something bad. His sister rolls his eyes at him.

“He isn’t old duffus,” the girl says.

“You sure?” he asks.

As Zelgadis stares at the two siblings he notices that not all of the kids ran away. About six of them gaze at him. Some look curious, others look indifferent, and one looks completely thrilled. He is cover from head to foot with a large hat on his head.

The boy squeals in delight and removes his hat revealing large fluffy purple ears, “you’re just like me!” He cries and he hugs one of Zelgadis’s legs.

“Hey, he’s mine!” the blue headed boy says as he hugs Zelgadis’s other leg.

At first Zelgadis doesn’t move but then he starts to laugh. A hearty and happy laugh, not a scary one. The children look at him with confusion and some of them start to laugh with him. When a child doesn’t know what to do, they laugh or copy something familiar.

“Well, I best be going,” Zelgadis says as he carefully removes the boys from each of his legs.

“You gunna come back?” the sister says, poorly trying to act like she could care less.

“I’ll come back tomorrow,” Zelgadis says as some of the kids wave a friendly goodbye to him.

And so Zelgadis returns to the orphanage for many days in the following weeks and months, that is when he isn’t traveling. Zelgadis isn’t good at staying in one place for very long. He eventually tells Amelia what he has been up to, and she eagerly joins him in his visits when she can. The children immediately recognize their loving monarch and are shocked to learn that Zelgadis is in fact her husband. Zelgadis thoroughly enjoys their reactions and laughs with great joy at this revelation.

Over the following years, Amelia and Zelgadis adopt many children, visiting the orphanage daily, as if all of the children are their own. The kingdom is thrilled and the nobles have no choice but to bite their tongues. Some nobles even have a change of heart and adopt children of their own. Even children not from their country are accepted and given a home when they can. 

Zelgadis’s new family may not be related by blood, but they are connected by something deeper. A love of being chosen just the way you are. And it is not based on your ability to play a good game of tag against Zelgadis.

The end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: I am adopted, so this story has a lot of meaning to me. I like to think that whoever Zelgadis ends up with (whether Lina, Amelia, or some random OC) that they would adopt if they wanted kids.
> 
> I made minor edits from the original, but for the most part it is unchanged.


	3. Just A Rock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A really short story about Zelgadis meeting Naga

“Just a Rock”

Damp frigid earth cannot be felt by the stone skinned chimera, but he nonetheless feels cold inside. Zelgadis has found himself in a truly unfortunate situation today. Bitterly Zelgadis wonders where it all went wrong, but knowing his luck such situations like this one are inevitable.

Two days ago his latest quest started out like any other. Zelgadis was in a new settlement where an ancient shrine sat undisturbed. Although, because of the buildings decrepit condition, Zelgadis found it necessary to use somewhat ‘destructive’ means of entering the sacred building. For days Zelgadis struggled with the unkempt shrine and for his efforts nothing of any value to him was ever found. It was another dead end and a waste of his time.

Unfortunately, his excavation of the ruins did not go unnoticed. There was a town nearby that considered the shrine sacred and did not take kindly to Zelgadis’s excavation of the premise. The town was so upset that they managed to hire someone who would do anything if the price was right. Unbeknownst to the townsfolk though, was the fact that Zelgadis was a human. But being the scared humans they were, no one ever considered reasoning with a monster. They assumed that Zelgadis was a rock golem monster gone out of control. 

With curves of infatuating beauty and hair of dark splendor, a golem expert sorceress easily captured Zelgadis, not realizing that he was a human. She used a spell to control the rock golem portion of Zelgadis before he ever had a chance of explaining himself.

Which leads up to the position Zelgadis has currently found himself in.

Zelgadis feels like his mind is mush. His thoughts are scattered and bouncing off the walls of his mind making him unable to understand much of anything. It is like when you wake up in the middle of the night convinced that if you turn to your left the pink flamingo talking to you on your right will make you a carrot cake.

The only voice that makes any sense is that constant noise talking to him at Zelgadis’s side. Her voice is an endless chatter in his mind and even though he cannot understand much of what is happening inside him, Zelgadis’s body aches to escape.

“And you know what he said?” the woman laughs. “I think your drunk lady, HA! Can you believe the gull of that man? Ohhhohohohoho!”

An unseen grimace cries out from Zelgadis’s muddled mind.

Zelgadis is only able to find relief when the woman beside him, in her cozy blanket, falls asleep. For several hour Zelgadis remains lost until the suns morning rays spread across the glistening earth. Like an ice cube slowly going down his spine, Zelgadis’s mind finally begins to comprehend what has happened to him.

In a growing panic, Zelgadis attempts to stand and run, but his body refuses to obey his commands. Invisible hands seem to pin him in place. As he struggles more fiercely against this unseen force his mind once again begins to regress into a state of jumbled gelatin. 

Sensing that his mind is slipping again, Zelgadis abruptly stops. His heart pounds hard against his stone chest making his ears begin to burn slightly.

For several hours Zelgadis stares through the dense trees at the sky above. No matter what Zelgadis tries, he is unable to break the hold on him. The only thing that he can figure will help is being knocked on the head by Lina or if this crazy girl figures out that he is not a rock golem.

By this time, the morning hours have slowly slipped away and the annoying woman has just begun showing signs of life.

With a loud and obnoxious yawn, the woman stretches and gazes lazily around her. When her eyes fall on Zelgadis, he attempts to glare at her, but of course his eyes remain placid and unmoving.

“You are one strange rock golem,” she says at length. “Most rock golems don’t last as long as you have.” She pauses studying the rock in front her a moment longer. “Come to think of it you aren’t much to look at either. Rock golems are supposed to be large and intimidating. A true show of workmanship. But you . . . ohohohoho. . . you might as well be a failed attempt in a sculpture class.” Again a loud horrendous laugh can be heard as the woman removes herself from her knapsack.

“Ugh, I have never been so degraded in my life, being force to sleep outside and not in the pleasant comfort of an inn,” the woman whines. “Clean this up.”

All of Zelgadis’s hateful thoughts vanish momentarily as his body sets to complete its master’s task. Before long Zelgadis has cleaned up the woman’s mess, caught her breakfast, cooked it and cleaned up her mess again. The next thing Zelgadis knows is that he is stiffly walking beside his new master towards who knows where.

Zelgadis wants to get away as fast as he can, but of course he cannot.

For the remainder of the day Zelgadis finds himself carrying out the woman’s every whim. When she gets tired of walking, he is forced to carry her. Next he is forced to fight off a horde of bandits for her. Then she uses Zelgadis as a chair when none are available at a local tavern.

The stares the people give him is enough to nearly drive Zelgadis insane all over again.

But what does it for him. The thing that draws that line. What really causes his blood to boil is what she does that night. They have finally found an inn that suites the woman’s high tastes but rather than use the coat-rack by the door she does something more creative. The annoying woman uses him as a cape, shoe and armor rack instead.

Now he wants to kill her.

She has no right to treat him like furniture. Being a chair was bad enough, but there were no chairs available at the time. Now there is a perfectly good clothing rack available and she ignores it, purposefully putting him through a humiliation that is not necessary.

And for some reason that is enough.

The rock golem portion of himself actually responds to Zelgadis’s feelings of disgrace and humiliation. He lashes out at the woman and begins to attack her blindly.

With a scream of surprise the woman dashes past the monster as Zelgadis rams into the bed and wall. Zelgadis’s eyes are blazing red and his heated thoughts demand only one thing; to have that women become his coat rack.

Shrill screams echo down the hall as Zelgadis chases after the woman numbly.

“Freeze Arrow,” the woman calls as she flings the spell behind her.

“Fire ball!” Zelgadis calls out, successfully blocking the freezing spell, along with causing a bit of damage to the inn around them.

“Ekkk,” she cries skipping steps as she nearly tumbles to the bottom floor of the inn. For some reason she begins to laugh as well. Perhaps it’s a bad habit of hers, but laughing seems to be her default vocal response to most situations. Buzzed men and weary travelers look up in disbelief as they watch a gorgeous woman without a cloak, armor or shoes race out the door. The blue angry monster following close behind and chasing her like a wild animal.

Desperately the woman rattles off ice spell after ice spell succeeding in only angering the chimera man further. She eventually manages to freeze him into a nice ice block any sculptor would be happy to see, but Zelgadis easily melts the ice when he sets his body on fire.

She screams again, cutting off her premature victory laugh. While Zelgadis steps forward, the woman is forced to back up into a wall, leaving her cornered.

The woman begins to babble.

“Look, you are a reasonable rock golem and I’m amazing so why don’t you turn back into to your normal self and return to that temple you loved so much,” she sputters.

Zelgadis keeps slowly walking towards her.

“I can’t believe you are doing this to me. I haven’t done anything that terrible to you. It’s not like I’m the one who made you look like . . . look like . . . THAT! Whoever made you could have at least put a little more effort into it.”

Zelgadis stops as he stands directly in front of her, his eyes are still red in a blind rage.

“GAH! You are not allowed to look at me like that unless I want you too,” the woman screams and in a heat of nervous rage she slams Zelgadis hard on the head with her hand.

WHAM! The rock man crumples to the ground as the audacious woman begins hopping around and nursing her throbbing hand.

“Ouch, Ouch, my beautiful hand, my perfect lovely hand!”

Easing into a sitting position, Zelgadis rubs his head gingerly. It doesn’t really hurt, but he still felt it. “I hate you,” Zelgadis says to the woman. He looks down at himself and curses when he sees that most of his clothes have been burned away.

“What,” she stops and looks at Zelgadis blankly. “You can talk?”

“Yes, I can moron,” Zelgadis says. “I am not a rock golem, I am a chimera! And you have been treating me like your personal slave.”

For a moment the woman doesn’t say anything, she just stares.

Anger begins to simmer within Zelgadis once more. “Well don’t you have anything to say,” Zelgadis glares with stiff lips. She has been talking none stop all day, is it really all that difficult for her to conjure up words now?

She smiles. “Well, I could have done much worse to you if I had known,” the woman says with a swanky pose. She winks seductively at the man and places her hand firmly on her round hips.

Zelgadis goes red.

“Oohohohohoh!”

The alluring pose is lost as soon as she laughs.

In an instant Zelgadis grabs his fallen sword and has it poise at her neck.

“Calm down, calm down, I’m not going to hurt you,” she calmly says showing no ounce of concern. “I am Naga the White Serpent, ohohoho.”

Crystal blue eyes narrow slightly at their prey. “Zelgadis Greywords.”

“See now isn’t that much better,” Naga says as she gently swats the sword away. “Now we must find you some proper clothes you cannot very well walk around looking like that.”

“How is it any different from you,” Zelgadis remarks coolly.

“Unlike you I have the confidence to make this beautiful, you are nowhere close to matching my vanity,” instead of laughing Naga merely looks back at Zelgadis with a knowing smile.

“I could never hope to match such impudence.”

“You are extremely rude to a lady who is offering to help you. Especially after you attacked her and she hasn’t even done anything wrong.”

Biting his tongue, Zelgadis reluctantly follows after the woman as the two make their way through town in order to find him something to wear.

For the next several weeks Naga becomes an unwanted traveling companion for Zelgadis. No matter what he does, Zelgadis cannot get rid of the woman, but she does prove somewhat useful. Even though Naga appears to be nothing but a mindless beauty her knowledge of rock golems is unparalleled and is something Zelgadis has no choice but to acknowledge. 

And so it is that two unlikely acquaintances begin searching for a cure that only one of them really cares about.

The End


	4. A Wish Too Great

A Wish Too Great

Overhead the tinkle of a rusting brass bell clatters against the doors rough wood frame as Zelgadis walks into the quaint little shop. 

“Welcome,” a voice calls from beyond the rows of goods stacked above the average man’s eye level.

Glancing around at the miscellaneous tools and goods you wouldn’t think such a simple place holds the cure the chimera longs for. Hedge clippers, horse saddles, and even cloaks are on display all marked at a reasonable price. Not at all interested in such common goods the hooded and masked chimera makes his way to the front counter where the bored clerk waits.

“Can I help you sir?” he asks with a good-natured deposition. The man smiles at Zelgadis, but it is strained on his handsome face. It is as if pliers are pinching the poor mans cheeks up in a painful position, forced into this arrangement after practiced perfection over years of manning the counter and greeting countless customers.

Despite the man’s humble appearance Zelgadis doesn’t doubt that this is ‘the oracle’. The man he has been tirelessly searching for. Digging into his cloak the chimera retrieves an old brass locket that resembles a pocket watch.

Immediately the clerk stiffens, his smile vanishing as he glares daggers at Zelgadis. He recognizes the trinket and wants nothing to do with it. “We don’t offer trades,” he replies stiffly, quickly walking towards the back exit of the shop.

Before the man can escape, Zelgadis clicks the clasp on the top rim revealing a repaired mechanism inside. It is ancient magic, something that originated from the civilization of Golden Dragons and perhaps even the Ancient Dragons. A thin wire of light is floating on a thin pin from the device, pointing directly at the seemingly common store clerk. 

Taking a calming breath, the chimera recites the words he committed to memory many months ago. “Flowing through life’s cruel gate I find the fork to change my fate,” Zelgadis recites.

Held by invisible chains the man stops and clenches his teeth. His jaw noticeably stiff as the muscles in his neck move tensely beneath his skin. “If you wish to change your destiny, you must commit some heresy,” the clerk recites tightly, the words forced from his mouth like a robber with the truth.

“With the devil I will dance all for this one chance,” Zelgadis answers in turn.

Briskly the man turns his head, his eyes glowing an unnatural green as he glares at Zelgadis. “Partake in temptations sweet and bitter dish. Taste the rewards of your wish,” he says with a sneer.

“I wish to be completely human, just as I once was,” Zelgadis lowers his mask and hood showing the man what he is so there is no confusion. His voice remains calm despite the crisp cold prickling the back of his neck. It feels as if his heart is ramming up his throat and he unknowingly holds his breath as he waits in anticipation for the man’s response.

The ordinary clerk transforms before his very eyes, glowing bright as chaotic magic pours out of him. His hair turns white, his irises vanish, and his nails become glistening claws as he floats above the floor. Slowly the magical being moves around the counter until he is directly in front of Zelgadis. The cautious chimera takes one nervous step back, intimidated by the domineering and overflowing power barely contained within the store clerk. 

Thrusting one hand forward, the man’s buildup of magic shots towards Zelgadis and encases him in an ethereal bubble. To the chimera’s surprise it isn’t painful, but warm and pleasant. Squinting through the bright light Zelgadis watches as his blue fingers become pale. Excited, he flex’s his fingers and dares to hope that this great power will be enough.

His hopes are dashed when the man performing the spell begins to scream. It is a guttural sound, brought on from pain as the power he possesses fails and the strain becomes too great. Like an unraveling rope the power shared between them falls apart before snapping from the strain and dropping both men to the ground.

This time it is Zelgadis’s turn to scream as the chaotic magic once held in the clerk completely enters his body, stretching and filling every ounce of his being. He feels as if his magic pool has burst, spilling out of him and transforming his body into something unfamiliar, something new, something unnatural. When the new barrier of his magic and his body is constructed Zelgadis curls into a tight ball on the floor willing the light and agony away.

“I . . . I can’t believe it, this can’t be real,” he can just make out the shuttering words of the clerk just a few paces away. “I’m free. I’m free!” Jumping to his feet the man shouts for joy, running his fingers through his hair with tears welling in his eyes.

“Free?” Zelgadis croaks. Grabbing onto the wood siding of the counter Zelgadis pulls himself up into a sitting position. “Free from what.”

“The curse of granting wishes!” the man says as if it is obvious. Looking down at Zelgadis the clerk actually appears remorseful. “Although . . . your wish wasn’t nearly as selfish as some of the others I’ve granted over the centuries.”

Bewildered Zelgadis looks up at the man feeling bruised on the inside. As he gazes at the clerk he catches sight of the open locket on the counter and distinctly see’s a thick white chain falling over the edge of the counter and connected to his body. White clasps of glowing light encircle his wrists, ankles, chest, waist and neck. “What have you done?” he hisses fearfully.

“I haven’t done anything, you merely danced with the devil and lost,” the man sighs. “Now you’re cursed. Cursed to grant the wish of every person who knows the riddle.”

Eyes wide, realization hits him and the beaten man lowers his head. His hands appear human for the most part, but he is still slightly blue and his skin his rough. The power wasn’t enough to completely cure Zelgadis. Every drop of the clerk’s power was emptied into the chimera and now he is paying the price. “So that’s what the riddle meant,” Zelgadis grinds, clenching his eyes shut and slamming a fist into the ground. “Dammit!”

“It is an ancient power, a curse invented through the merging of holy and black magic,” the clerk explains, not at all ruffled by Zelgadis’s curse. “The Ancient Dragons used it to teach humans a lesson of humility and generosity; even with the dragons gone the curse remains.” Retrieving a hammer the clerk raises it above the locket on the counter and smashes it against the trinket.

Instantly the magical compass shatters and Zelgadis watches as the chain of light disappears. His hopes rise until he notices the clasps still tight around his body.

“The curse is still there, but it will be harder to find you without the compass,” the clerk explains. “I’m guessing this is one I missed. You’re the first new wish seeker I’ve had in over a century.”

Zelgadis nods, pushing against the counter and standing to his feet.

“If you’re lucky no one else alive knows that incantation,” the clerk tells him. “Otherwise your life is going to be a living hell.”

Enraged Zelgadis leaps at the man intent of killing him, but is flipped onto his back unexpectedly. Blinking up at the man, Zelgadis stares in shock, having no idea how the man did such a move without his detecting it.

“I’m not your enemy, the names Larson,” he tells the silly young man sprawled on his back. Turning away he heads towards the back of the store. “Stay there, I’ll be right back.”

Now when a man tells you he isn’t your enemy and to ‘stay put’ there are probably a few people in the world who will believe him, but Zelgadis is certainly not one of them. Instead he wobbles to his feet massaging the small lump on the back of his head gently. He is shocked when he feels the bump swiftly disappear, healing completely. Bewildered the twice cursed man follows after Larson finding himself in a small living area in the home nestled behind the shop.

Glancing around at the quaintly furnished home, Zelgadis walks forward and finds Larson in the kitchen.

In the kitchen kissing an ancient wrinkly old hag.

The sight isn’t something he particularly wants to see, but before he can look away the woman gasps and collapses to the floor. Larson doesn’t try to catch her, he just lets her fall and hit her head of the floor without remorse. 

Clenching his fists Zelgadis watches the scene in confusion. He doesn’t have to look at her to know that she is dead and while he’s seen death many time this one makes his throat become dry. “You killed her . . .” Zelgadis states robotically.

Larson sighs. “I told you to stay put, a lad like you doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into.” 

“Why?” Zelgadis cannot help asking, but his eyes remain guarded.

“She knew the incantation, I’m doing you a favor,” Larson replies stoically. “I’m sure you would have killed her too if given the opportunity.”

Feeling slightly ill Zelgadis doesn’t move, even as Larson walks past him to pack up his things. Staring forward the reality of the situation sinks in. He has become ‘the oracle’. He is the very magical creature that grants wishes to any person who knows the incantation. He never considered that the oracle was a slave to the person who makes their wish. Not once did he consider the consequences of failing to have a wish granted and that this failure meant becoming the very thing that granted wishes.

Slowly looking down at his hand, he pulls off his glove and notes its altered appearance. It isn’t human, but it isn’t ugly either. Almost ethereal.

“Since you know the incantation . . .” he breaks the silence. “Shouldn’t I then kill you?”

“You can try,” the man grins from the corner of his mouth and walks up the stairs. “But you might want to hear what I have to say first,” he calls down to him.

It is a reasonable suggestion and Zelgadis doesn’t feel as if he is in a position to counter considering the man flung him to the floor earlier with such ease. “Why don’t you use the incantation on me?” Zelgadis ask as he follows the man up the stairs. “After being held captive for so long I’d think you’d want revenge.”

“An oracle cannot grant their own wishes and neither can a freed oracle ask a wish of the new oracle,” Larson explains, pulling down an old case and rummaging through a chest. “An oracle can only say their portion of the incantation even after being free so it is impossible for us to share the incantation with others or take advantage of the new oracle. We can’t even write the words down.”

“How do you know all this?” Zelgadis asks suspiciously.

“Knowing so little about it I’m surprised you dared even make a wish,” Larson snuffs. “You must have been desperate.”

“You didn’t answer the question,” Zelgadis seethes.

“Don’t misunderstand young lad. I don’t need to answer any of your questions it is only by my benevolence and pity for you that I do,” Larson grins making Zelgadis’s face red with anger, but he refrains from trying to kill him again. “I’ve been doing this for five hundred years,” Larson continues, lifting a large amount of clothes from the chest and putting it in Zelgadis’s arms. At first the new oracle holds it until he realizes what he’s doing and proceeds to place it onto the bed. “What I didn’t know before I learned from the previous Oracle.”

“Where are you planning to go?” Zelgadis asks.

“With you,” Larson answers and precedes the change his attire.

Zelgadis has enough decency to look away wondering why the man is so candid about all of this. “Don’t bother yourself,” Zelgadis bites. If it were him who was finally free, he’d be out the door putting as much space between him and the unlucky soul he’d passed the curse onto. Although he might take the time to kill the person who’d forced marriage on him and anyone else who’d taken advantage of him. . .

That explains the old woman actually.

“I’m not bothered at all and you’re not going to object,” Larson wisely answers. Pulling out a cloak the young looking old man casts a spell on it and proceeds to fill it with his suitcase and other items.

Downstairs they hear the rough sound of the store bell clatter against the door frame announcing a customer. “Mr. Bilit, are you here?” a young woman’s voice calls through the house.

Larson curses wish a stiff smile cracking his cheeks. “Stay here and do me the honor of listening this time,” Larson’s eyes squint dangerously at Zelgadis as he passes. It is a look that actually sends an uncomfortable shiver down the young man’s back.

As Larson greets the young woman Zelgadis almost suspects that she is the next to die. Softly creeping down the stairs he waits on the other side of the door that leads to the shop, listening carefully. To Zelgadis’s surprise the clerk actually helps the young woman, going on pleasantly as if nothing has changed. Cautiously, he glances in the kitchen where the old woman’s corpse is laying just out of view.

When the customer is sent away, Larson gives the all clear and closes up the shop. “That should have been the first thing I did,” he comments. “I was much too eager to free myself of that woman. Go ahead and take whatever you want off the shelves, we’ll be burning this store to the ground.”

Suspicious as always, Zelgadis lifts a brow at Larson.

“Aside from my children, I have no fond memories of this place,” Larson explains.

“Your children?” Zelgadis becomes nervous. “With the woman you just killed?”

“Use your imagination,” Larson sighs.

Feeling sick again, Zelgadis leans against the counter trapped in a never ending loop of ‘what if’ scenarios in his head. He isn’t woken until Larson puts a hand on his shoulder. The grasp is rough, but strong and warm. For once the man doesn’t say anything and puts an enchanted bag in his hand.

By the time the two men have finished gathering all they can it is night. In the darkness they torch the home and leave the town. When they are a safe distance away, they stop and make camp. “Where will we be going?” Larson asks.

“I don’t know,” Zelgadis says, glaring into the fire with a dead look on his face. “Is there a cure for this curse?”

Larson shakes his head. “Yes and no,” he answers. “Aside from the cure you gave me the only other way is if another learns the incantation and wishes for your freedom.”

“Obviously that has never happened,” Zelgadis scoffs.

At first Larson doesn’t answer, adding a few more twigs to the fire. “No.”

When it seems that the conversation is over, the two lie down for some needed rest. Just when Zelgadis is about to fall asleep Larson speaks up. “Is there someone you trust out there?” Larson asks.

In his mind, Zelgadis see’s his friends and their smiling faces, unaware of the small smile emerging on his own face. “Yes,” he answers.

Humming in amusement, Larson laces his arms under his head. “Then perhaps things aren’t as hopeless as I thought.”

Zelgadis grunts, very much getting tired of Larson grueling if not observant judgments.

“What’s your name lad?” Larson asks, undeterred by Zelgadis’s cold demeanor. “Or I can keep calling you lad, it’s up to you.”

“. . . Zelgadis,” he answers.

“Lad, let’s go find your friends,” Larson grins.

Turning to glare at the other man, Zelgadis actually cracks a grin before staring up at the sky again. How does he keep meeting such crazy people?

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another old story I never posted. Does that make this new?


End file.
